Love pizza, but want to cut calories? Choose an alternative … crust, that is.
“You can easily save 135 calories per slice just from the saturated fat,” said chef Libby Mills of West Chester, a registered, licensed dietitian-nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Crusts also represent a great way to add extra nutrition – whether using vegetables or whole grains.”
Get creative. Some possibilities: brown rice and flaxseed, cauliflower, beet, zucchini and potato.
“It really is a great base for whatever you want to top it with,” she described.
“Just give it a try,” agreed food and nutrition blogger Judy Matusky of Ardmore, also a registered, licensed dietitian-nutritionist. “If you like the vegetable you’re using, you will like the pizza.”
She makes a white pizza with a cauliflower crust, goat cheese and truffled mushrooms.
“You can eliminate all those refined carbohydrates from flour that typically show up in crust,” Matusky said. “It’s not going to be like your regular pizza crust, but the flavor is very nice, and it holds together pretty well.”
Remember to steam the cauliflower and squeeze out all the liquid. (Mills saves that liquid for stock.)
“It’s an important step,” Matusky advised. And “you do have to bake the veggie crusts first.”
The concept works for quiche too. Her mushroom and spinach quiche, featuring a spaghetti squash crust, is “easy to pull together” and “slices well.”
“Quiches are typically made with a pretty high-fat crust,” she explained. “Here you can lighten it up, and I find this one to be a little more filling” thanks to the extra fiber.
“It’s a win-win.”White Pizza with Goat Cheese, Truffled Mushrooms and Cauliflower Crust
Servings: 6IngredientsFor crust:
1 small head of cauliflower (about 3 cups cauliflower rice)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated1/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon oregano1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 eggFor topping:12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil1/4 teaspoon tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste4 tablespoons goat cheese
3/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated2 to 3 teaspoons truffle oil
InstructionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. For the crust, break the cauliflower into large florets. Using either a box grater or a food processor, grate or pulse the cauliflower to create a rice like texture. Measure 3 cups of cauliflower rice, place into a microwave-safe bowl and steam for about 2 minutes. Line a large plate with several sheets of paper towels. Spread the cauliflower rice on top of the towels, cover with a few sheets of paper towels and place a pan on top to press the water out of the cauliflower. When the cauliflower is dry, put it into a bowl and add the cheeses, oregano, egg and garlic powder. Mix well until combined. Place the cauliflower mixture on the prepared baking sheet, pressing together to form an oval or rectangular shaped crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
While crust is baking, add the oil to a saute pan and saute the mushrooms until browned and liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and add tarragon and salt and pepper. When the crust is ready, top with mushrooms, dollops of goat cheese and a sprinkle of Swiss cheese. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese melts. Remove from oven and drizzle with truffle oil.
RECIPE COURTESY OF JUDYMATUSKY.COM
Mushroom and Spinach Quiche with a Spaghetti Squash Crust
Servings: 6Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (8-ounce) package cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach
1/2 medium onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, minced
5 large eggs1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup imported Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups cooked spaghetti squash (1 small squash)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Hot sauce, if desiredInstructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large glass or ceramic pie plate with cooking spray. Cut the spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Place, cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and roast in oven for about 30 minutes or until squash is soft. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
While the squash is roasting, using a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add half of the olive oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and saute them until all liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted and most of liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan and saute the onions and garlic until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to mushrooms and spinach. In a medium bowl, add the eggs. Whisk with a fork until blended. Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper.
To prepare the crust, scrape the squash with a fork to remove the spaghetti like fibers and put 3 cups of spaghetti squash into a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese and nutmeg, stir. Press squash into bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Pour the egg mixture over the crust. Spoon the mushroom mixture on top of the eggs. Bake for 40 minutes or until quiche is firm. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.
Nutrition note: Swiss cheese is a healthier option when compared to cheddar cheese. Ounce for ounce, Swiss cheese is naturally lower in fat and sodium and contains slightly more calcium.
RECIPE COURTESY OF JUDYMATUSKY.COM
Brown Rice and Flaxseed Pizza Crust
Looking for a hearty pizza crust that can hold a multitude of toppings and is gluten-free? Try this crust!
IngredientsGluten-free cooking spray or 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown-rice flour1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup water3 eggs3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cooked long-grain brown rice
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 15-by-10-inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray (or lightly coat with vegetable oil). Mix the dry ingredients, from the flour to the onion powder, together in a large mixing bowl. Mix the wet ingredients, from the water to the olive oil, in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the brown rice. Spread the batter on the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Add whatever pizza toppings you’d like and cook until crisp (an additional 10 minutes).
Add herbs with the dry ingredients to flavor the crust. Based on the type of pizza you are making, add the following herbs: basil and oregano for Italian; cilantro for Mexican; and chili powder for barbecued chicken.
RECIPE COURTESY OF THE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
Sweet Potato CrustThis is always a simple favorite.
Ingredients2 good-sized sweet potatoes or any type of potato
Extra-virgin olive oilSalt and freshly ground pepper
Optional seasonings to tasteInstructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice potatoes relatively thin. Grease a pie plate (quiche) or rimmed baking sheet (pizza) with olive oil or line the bottom with parchment. Layer potatoes like feathers on the bottom and sides of pie plate or arrange as a flat pizza crust. Brush potatoes lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings, salt and pepper. Prebake for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF LIBBY MILLS
